Posted by jclint on November 22, 2004, at 8:13:43
Hi guys I feel the need to let off a bit of steam here. For the past 6/7 months I have been geared towards getting effective help for my SP. Its really getting me down about how slow progress is, to the point where I end up more depressed after a doc's appointment then before hand. Also I'm withdrawing from 2 years off efexor and I'm sure that's not exactly helping my situation.
I'm in a bit of a rut at the moment, I really don't know what to do - I want to do what my doctor thinks best, yet I really feel he is not knowledgable about progressive SP meds etc. He wants to try a tri-cyclic, but I have very little faith in this helping, as I have never seen any clinical or anecdotal reports of this working for SP. Of course, correct me if I'm wrong!
I wrote a letter to him concerning things I was interested in - pregabalin, amisulphide, clonazepam, MAOIs - but I don't think he took my suggestions very seriously. He is reluctant to use amisulphide but hasn't ruled it out, although I feel I would have to go through months of benign drugs before he prescribes it, so that is out for the forseeable future. Ditto for benzos, and he is typical of UK docs in that he prescribes very short term valium only, and I would want something more long-term. Pregabalin we didn't really talk about, but I don't think he's the type that would prescribe something so new off-label.
The main point of this post (sorry for the life story) is that he would be willing to prescribe an MAOI instead of a tricyclic. I feel in a bit of a catch 22 situation. I think that Nardil would have, out of all the drugs, possibly the best effect for my symptoms (atypical depression, social anxiety, mild ADD), yet I have a difficult time deciding if I could cope with the extras it brings. The thing is, I am 18 years old, and fear that the restrictions and side effects might prevent me from doing things people my age do, which kind of undermines the purpose of treating SP. I'm not too bothered about weight gain, but the anorgasmia is discouraging. I have something of an over-active libido, do you think this would counter-act nardil's sexual effects to a degree? And do you think that the fact I had no sexual impairment on efexor suggests would suggest they wouldn't be too much of a prob on nardil?
I think I'm fine with the diet, apart from alcohol. Obviously I will have to forget about narcotics - XTC, coke etc (not that I've done them). I'm not a heavy drinker but it forms the basis of most my social occassions, in England the age limit is 18 so that's what myself and my peers are into. I'm very confused as to the danger of this - some people say everything's fine apart from tap beer and aged spirits, others (like my doctor) say alcohol is out, period. I was wondering what people's opinions on semi regualar, social drinking would be. Although I know he is ignorant about the revised diets, I can't help feeling reluctant to go against his advice. I haven't yet discussed this with him, and am reluctant, as I fear my liberal attitude might clash with his old-fashioned MAOI attitude.
Sorry for the rant people. I think 50% of the purpose of this was to get some opinions, but 50% to just get stuff off my chest.
Thanks for reading, John :)
poster:jclint
thread:418891
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041118/msgs/418891.html